Stephen Jones Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Would this massive drum make a good forge base? I dont know the exact size as i dont get it till tomorrow. But I do know its a brake drum from a bus so should be a pretty big diameter and quite deep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Are you going to cut wide slots down the sides so you can get your stock into the hot spot; or are you going to fill it with clay to move the hot spot up closer to the rim?I'd say that would make a great forge base and a poor forge firepot---there is a major difference you know... Compare it with the dimensions of commercial firepots and see how it stacks up with even very large work firepots in general use. (I had a student use a Semi brake drum and he ended up abandoning it when he moved as it was so much less useful than a regular car one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 As Thomas suggests, use it as a foot to build a stand off of, I use them for flowerpots. Look at the 55 forge series, the "simple" and "side blast" versians are easy and inexpensive to build. Dont get locked in on the drum, a wash tub or drain pan will work as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 im planning on getting one of ID forges when i move but for now im toying with the idea of a new forge that i can rework to how i want it.. the on e i have just now has a major flaw.. not enough pressure in the air to really heat it.. i thought if i built a bigger forge i might be able to incorporate better air flow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 (edited) Is their a shop that fits new automotive exaust? Acces to a oil drum, washtub or old sink? (As you seem to have a preference for bottom blast) in my opinion brake drum forges are a PITA. Have them welf you up a "T" from 2" exast tubing (tweer), fit a 2" exast flaper with a counterweight to hold it shut (ash dump) atache air supply to one end and fire box to other. Either insert a cast iron flore drain cover or use a 2" pioe cap with a 3/4" hole drilled in the center (bullet grate) now a bit of sand, dirt, clay or ash/cinder and your in play. Form a bowl thats 3"- deap and 6-8" across walla, pile on the coal and prosede. Other things you may scrounge are old bq grills gas or charcoal, old metal tables, desks or stools. A mechanic's tool cart would be sweet. Edited May 21, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Stephen you could make that brake drum work. Fill it full of packed down dirt and dig out what you want for the fire pot, leave a hole for the air to come up. Have the top of dirt level with top if drum, dig out/put dirt in as wanted. Cheap, easy, adaptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Not to mention neir inmovable, the drum is heavy enugh. Tho by the time you get it filled with earth, you can use a wood plug for the bottom, as all you need is to keep the dirt from falling out. Just overkill. But hay you have it. Seen an illistration of a large cast irom pipe used, and I have contimplating using stacked truck tires ramed full of dirt (cut out the upper side wall) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Yeah Charles, be a bit if weight in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Stephan: You're falling into two mistakes most people make starting a new craft though one is human nature a psychology guy or a little reading could explain. The first common mistake is you're over thinking the task. This is JUST a hearth to hold a forced draft fire. That HUGE brake drum is more hindrance than useful, seriously it's WAY more trouble than it's worth. A pickup truck brake drum is larger than necessary and forget lining it, they throw them away at auto shops. The most complicated thing I do for a brake drum forge is make a bolt flange so it's fast and easy to unbolt the tuyere and toss the drum to replace.The other mistake that's a bit of human psychological oddness goes like this. We all have an almost obsessive desire to use everything we have on a project. Learning to use ONLY what's necessary is a sign of experience. We have to teach ourselves NOT to succumb to the desire to use it all. You'll never lose that desire but you can learn to control it.The only thing I've come up with to do with semi brake drums is to use them as a buried anchor, they're almost as good as a buried wheel rim. Another use I've considered but not enough to go snag a couple drums from the heavy duty shop is make a pot belly (sort of) stove from three. I'd need to find a length of steel pipe or have a drum rolled to go between two open ends facing. The pipe would get the stove door and make a nice deep burn chamber. Then make a shaker grate for the bottom B'drum and a stove pipe hack for the top B'drum. The third B'drum makes the base and ash clean out box. Cut a door in the base that I can pull out, attach an ash pan to it and put another steel pan for the shelf.All in all I could build a vertical stove faster than I could make the ash pan base for a B'drum stove so it's just something else more trouble than it's worth rattling around my brain.I've known a lot of guys who used semi drum for pedestal tool bases and I've cussed them all. The darn bases are larger than the tool and I keep kicking the darned things!Please don't be mad at me but the best thing you can do with that semi brake drum is toss it OUT, get rid of it.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Frosty, you sure you don't mean sell it for scrap or trade it to someone else for something he could use? Instead of just tossing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Frosty, you sure you don't mean sell it for scrap or trade it to someone else for something he could use? Instead of just tossing it.Good Morning,The price of scrap right now, means you can throw it out and save the fuel you would use to get $.001 or less. Add it to your pile, wait for the price to make it worth your while to load it up. They do make very good Planters!!I agree with Frosty and Charles, sometimes bigger is not better. Propane is a lot easier and cleaner. When you factor all the costs in, I think it is almost cheaper than coal.Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Lot harder to cobble to gether a propain rig, a peice od stove pipe and a coffie can and you can have a charcoal forge, lol. The brake drum forge is an American export, that even as a Yank I'd recommend you Brits ignore, lol. Lot of smiths have built them, some still use them, and do good work but there are easer, leass expensive ways to go (2" plumbing fitting arn't cheep) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 When I said toss it, I meant make it go away, scrap it, sell it, give it to someone else, just forget it as a useful fire pot, it's NOT. The things don't even make decent out door fire rings, I know a couple guys who've tried.Semi brake drums are tempting to bring home, they LOOK like a person can do a lot of things with them so do grader edges/blades and similar scrap. Unfortunately some scrap is pretty darned unusable in a home shop.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 im planning on getting one of ID forges when i move but for now im toying with the idea of a new forge that i can rework to how i want it.. the on e i have just now has a major flaw.. not enough pressure in the air to really heat it.. i thought if i built a bigger forge i might be able to incorporate better air flowMaybe figuring out why you have poor air flow and correcting it would be a better way to go vs building a giant fire pot. I originally thought I had an air flow issue when I built my 1st forge and bought a big commercial forge blower to "solve" the problem. It turned out the problem was really to poor coal I had gotten for free, and I would have been better off spending the money on better coal vs redesigning the forge to take the massive blower and then having to reduce the air flow to reasonable levels once I bought some decent coal after understanding the real issue I was having. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 I think the problem is the sir supply. Theres no cap on the bottom of the tryuerso the air can escape down as well as up. Power is from a dinky 'hairdryer but I know it blows enough air to melt steel. The only grate I oave I the fire pit is a bit f rebar to hold the coal in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 So plug the ash dump, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Uh HUH. I WAS going to make a suggestion but I don't think it's really necessary is it? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 Ok I made a test fix that i think I'll leave in place. I used a fire extinguisher bracket.( The car kind) and a bit of 2 or 3 mm steel plate. Bracket clips on the side of the down pipe nicely (with a little hammer tap) and the little foldy bit holds the plate in place( tight fit though). Now after an hour and a half in front of the forge I'm exhausted with the heat. I can heat 1 3/4" bright mild to orange/yellow in a few mins and 1/2" square takes no time. I am a happy fire bunny today Thank you so much for the advice guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 we all get blinded by the trees some times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 She goes through the coal at some speed now though. But I love having a heat I can hopefully work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 May need to eithe r prop the ash dump open part way or install a air gate to dial in the air supply. Also manage the fire to keep it small. For most things 6" of hot steel is plaenty to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Remember you don't need the air blast on all the time with decent blacksmithing coal. Some use one of those HF foot pedals to turn on and off the power. Others use an air gate to control how much air makes it to the fire pot. You simply engage the air when you insert your steel to heat, then shut it down, when you remove it to work on it. This can greatly extend your fuel. I'm glad though your forge is working better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Forgot that one, lol, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) So, my forge so far has been a hole in the ground lined with clay and sand and a hairdryer for air. Not ideal but it worked. I recently salvaged the following from work and was thinking of using it to try and build one. It is made from a piece of schedule 40, 316 grade stainless and the ears around it are 3/4 inch thick. I was thinking of welding a 2" nipple to the bottom for the plumbing and just drilling a series or holes to act as a screen. Then making a 1/8" box that it would set into with more 1/8" around it to act as a table then hood and vent it with a metal bucket I have. I can get some kaowool from work for insulation then I figured some clay/sand mix on top to keep the wool from touching the pot itself.Another benefit is that the cut out on the sides will set level with the table and would help keep the stock in place. I was thinking of putting the plumbing a little off center and just plugging the small nipples.This was originally an enclosure for a in-service acid line that had a slight drip. It saw service for less than a week before being taken off and the void was injected full of Teflon under higher pressure than the line service.Is there any reason I shouldn't use this or a certain way I should insulate. I'm tired of bending over to take a heat LOL. Edited June 10, 2015 by Panzer Explain what the thing was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 kaowool is for propane forge not solid fuel forges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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